Going into Saturday’s Western Conference battle at home against Seattle Sounders FC, Chivas USA knew they would be doing so with a new strategy and formation implemented by interim Head Coach Sacha van der Most and his staff. Midfielder Jorge Villafaña, who made his eighth start of the season on the left wing, says the game plan was effective, however the 2-0 loss did not tell the entire story.

“We started off well with the new formation,” said Villafaña. “Unfortunately, errors again cost us the game. We know we have to work on those mistakes. It’s those errors that keep hurting us even though we are displaying good soccer. [The coaching staff] implemented a good system for us to execute. It was effective, even though we didn’t get the result.”

With his goal and team-high three assists so far in the season, the midfielder has found opportunities to get in range of the goal and deliver scoring chances for his side, and did so again Saturday, going the full 90 minutes. Villafaña got off a pair of shots on goal as well as his trademark crosses from the left side, but could not generate a score. In his seventh season with the club, the Southern California product knows that the only way for the Rojiblancos to climb out of the current MLS winless streak is by continuing to work on improving daily.

“All the players gave one hundred percent tonight, and more,” Villafaña added. “I think everyone saw that. The group has that commitment. We just have to come out sharper and not commit the same errors that are costing us games. We need to keep improving and work on what we are lacking.”

As the player with the most time on the club, Villafaña has seen the Red-and-White go through winning streaks just as much as he has been a part of losing ones. Villafaña was part of last year’s squad that failed to make the playoffs with a record of 7-18-9, but has also been a part of two Chivas USA playoff squads. So the player also known among his teammates as Sueño, knows what it takes to win with the Red-and-White.

With two weeks off from MLS competition for the Rebaño Angelino, Villafaña and his teammates will now shift their attention to their Fourth-Round match in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on June 12 when they travel to North Carolina to face the Carolina RailHawks. Villafaña was part of last season’s Semifinals run and will look to help the team advance even further in the Centennial edition of the tournament.